IMMEDIATE RELEASE through May 20, 2008

April 9, 2008

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING THE     

MAY 20, 2008 OREGON PRIMARY ELECTION

April 29, 2008 is the last day for all new Oregon voters to register to vote, postmarks are valid.
April 29, 2008 is the last day for all Oregon voters to change political parties, must be received by any Oregon County Clerk, postmarks are not valid.

Oregon’s election day is May 20, 2008, and is the last day for previously registered voters to update their voter information such as residential address and/or mailing address.  Ballots cannot be delivered to the voter unless their address is current.

Ballots will be mailed to registered voters on May 02, 2008.  Voters should contact the Clerk’s office at 473-5151 if they have not received their ballot by the following Thursday, May 8th. 

Voted ballots must be received by any Oregon County Clerk, no later than 8:00 p.m. election day, Tuesday, May 20, 2008 to be verified, opened and counted.  

State Voter Pamphlets will be mailed by the Secretary of State to each Oregon household on or before April 30, 2008.

NEW…..NEW…..NEW…..         

AS OF March 21, 2008 a directive from the Secretary of State’s office now mandates that clerks can verify signatures using only the most current voter registration card on file. 

To ensure that the voter’s ballot is counted, the voter must remember that the signature on their ballot return affidavit envelope must match the signature on their most current voter registration card.  They might want to file with the clerk an updated voter registration card before the upcoming election if they are concerned that their signature may have changed over time.

Each voters returned ballot envelope signature is compared to the voters most current registration card and if there is a discrepancy in the signature comparison, the signature will be considered challenged and the voter will be notified and given 10 days after the election to update their voter registration signature with the clerk so that their ballot can be counted.

As a reminder, it is a Class ‘C’ felony to sign another person’s name to the ballot return envelope and a fine not to exceed $100,000 may be imposed.